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Category Archives: Leadership

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Steve Jobs: Reflections on His Life For Youth Ministers

By | October 6, 2011

Today we stop to recognize a true pioneer of modern technology. His creativeness and passion and image were second-to-none. His attentiveness to detail inspired many to change how they live their day-to-day lives. His creativity was evident in the iPod, iPhone or iPad but he also gave us a glimpse into what kept him going in times of doubt and discouragement.

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Following the Leader: The Struggle of Obedience

By | September 26, 2011

Obedience to God is one thing (sometimes difficult, but understandable); obedience to others is a whole different story. When it comes to submitting to other people we struggle. God is perfect; we are not. Yet, I think our discomfort with submission comes more from feeling like we are giving up control rather than a desire to actually do the disobedient or contrary actions. We want to be in charge of our world; when we are a called to function under authority, we think we are losing our freedom.

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You’re the Coach. And the Game is Life.

By | September 12, 2011

Last week, one of my favorite ministry opportunities started once again – Friday Night Football. I don’t know what it is about Friday Night Football that I like so much; I’m not even a major sports fan, but there’s something about it! As I stood on the sidelines watching the game, I had a unique perspective.

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Drafting Your Fantasy Core Team

By | September 6, 2011

I love NFL football. I love the drama, the intensity, and the way every single game matters to the outcome of the season. Next to the Packers, my favorite thing about the NFL season is fantasy football. As I sat making my picks for my first draft the other day, I realized that building a quality youth ministry Core Team can be a lot like building the perfect fantasy football team.

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The Fig Leaf Battle: A Fight for Modesty

By | August 9, 2011

Enforcing a dress code often (ok, always) means that we become the bad-guy for a short time. That certainly isn’t fun, especially because the teens will often play the Emperor as we cry out that they don’t have (enough) clothes on. Yet, don’t we owe it to the teens to talk to them about this issue?

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5 Things That Make Great Core Teams

By | July 12, 2011

Throughout my life I’ve been on a lot of teams. There have been baseball teams, basketball teams, and now that I’m old – slow-pitch softball teams. Some of these teams I’ve played for and others I’ve coached, but perhaps my favorite team was my youth ministry Core Team. There are few things more rewarding than working together with other dedicated Catholics to lead teenagers closer to Christ. As you take time to evaluate your ministry this summer, consider these 5 things that make great Core Teams.

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10 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Youth Minister

By | June 1, 2011

I recently posed a question on my Twitter and Facebook pages to a variety of youth ministers asking, “What things do you wish someone told you before you became a youth minister?” After receiving a variety of responses, it was evident that there were many recurring themes. For those of you who are thinking of becoming youth ministers, and even for some of you grizzly veterans who have seen one too many high school productions of “Grease,” here are 10 things I wish someone told me before I became a youth minister (with a little help from my friends).

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Bring It: Boundries, Answers, the Truth

By | November 8, 2010

Whether you have children or not, hanging around kids can put things into perspective. I was watching four little children last weekend. I must have told them “No!” a dozen times (or 12 dozen times). I even had to discipline one of the boys who wouldn’t listen. Yet, no less then 5 minutes after I told the kids “No,” they wanted to know when I was coming back to their house to play and they told me how much they loved me. As adults, we are constantly telling kids and teens what not to

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The Gospel According to . . . My Garbage Man

By | October 28, 2010

It was about 5:30 a.m. and I was in the middle of my morning prayer. The sun had yet to rise. The coffee was hot and the house, serene. Just then, in the middle of my prayer, apprehension gripped my body and shattered my peace. “Oh crap…it’s bulk trash pickup today!” I sprang up from the couch in our prayer room, threw on some warm clothes and within minutes found myself in my back yard. The sun was peeking over the wall and the sound of the city garbage truck echoed through the neighborhood.

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Are your teens licensed to pray? Empowering and helping teens to pray.

By | September 16, 2010

Driving Instructors are brave. They are out on the streets, seated right beside a young soul with little more than a second brake to protect them. As a driving instructor, you might need to work your brake at times. You will need to prepare them before you “start.” You might need to pull over and walk them through how to do certain things. The point is that you are actively helping them and empowering them to do it on their own. You’re not just teaching them a skill; you’re growing their own confidence in that skill.